[360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Amanda »

Bumping to see how this fig is goin' ? Hoping for an update. :)
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Jamie »

gday boom!

what you have linked is a cultivar of PJ a slight variation of the PJ little ruby. this would definately be a PJ mate, just not the little ruby cultivar ;)
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Steven »

G'day,

Thanks for all your comments, observations and interest.
Boom1979 wrote:g'day mate i dont mean to be picky but that fig is not a Rubiginosa (ruby) Fig, it looks more like a Ficus macrophylla (Moreton Bay fig) to me. the main reason i say this is that i have a Ruby and its leaves are long and skinny which is different to the leaves on your tree, i also have a Moreton Bay fig and your tree's leaves are an exact match for mine. Other than that i really like your styling on the tree
G'day Boom, as Jamie has stated the link you refer to is the 'Little Ruby' which is a variation of the common Port Jackson which was discovered and made popular by one of Australia's Bonsai God Fathers - Mr. Noel Summerell.

The common feedback has been that some of the branches are are too horizontal etc. Sorry if this concerns you however it was my intention to have the branches on the LHS shorter and more horizontal to simulate how they might grow if the ficus was growing on a rock/cliff in its natural habitat. In my opinion, the branches on this side would be somewhat inhibited because of the environment. I'll see how it shapes up over the next 6 months and if I'm not happy with the current direction, I'll restyle when it gets its next defoliation.

Here is how it is looking at the moment;
May 2010.jpg
Comments and critique are always welcome!

Regards,
Steven
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Amanda »

I think it's awful and you should sell it to me ;) :lol:

JK, it's come a long way and I think has a very bright future, the virtuals were interesting too, so many possibilities.
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Steven »

G'day,

I wasn't happy with the previous design of this tree so I decided to tweak it a little...
2011 August.jpg
The right hand trunk was cut back after the above photo but it was still a pretty bulky and messy trunk line so I cleaned it up last night.
2011 November 8.jpg
I had been feeding it well and ensuring it had plenty of sun so it was really healthy before the work...
2011 November 9.jpg
Depending on where I get new shoots from, I may even cut the new leader back further and even have a stockier tree. What do you think?

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Last edited by Steven on November 9th, 2011, 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Jerry Meislik »

Looking good, Steven.
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by kcpoole »

Nice steven, I see you shortened back the branches too :-)
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by MattA »

Steven,

I dont want to be rude but
...uumm .. welll...
it looks like an inverted icecream cone...
ok if it was a pine but its a fig...
short & fat
short & fat
& wide canopy
:2c:
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Steven »

MattA wrote:I dont want to be rude but
...uumm .. welll...
it looks like an inverted icecream cone...
ok if it was a pine but its a fig...
short & fat
short & fat
& wide canopy
:2c:
:lol: We're not going to start that old 6:1 vs 2:1 ratio debate again are we :palm:

I know what you mean Matt but I've got plenty of banyan style figs so I thought I would try something different to my usual.
If it doesn't look good in 12 months I give you permission to tell me "I told you so" :tounge:

Regards,
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by MattA »

Steven wrote: :lol: We're not going to start that old 6:1 vs 2:1 ratio debate again are we :palm:

I know what you mean Matt but I've got plenty of banyan style figs so I thought I would try something different to my usual.
If it doesn't look good in 12 months I give you permission to tell me "I told you so" :tounge:

Regards,
Steven
I have trees ranging from 40:1 to 1:1(& even fatter) so I am the last that will start that old hashpie and different also works in my books ... this just ... I dunno...its not even the canopy structure as much as the trunk, almost perfectly tapered, like it was machined, no movement from the varying stages in thickening a trunkline.
Edit- I am not saying there isnt, but without branching to help pull the curves they go unnoticed.

We all have our own ideas & way with trees, as I have B-all figs on my benches, lets see it in 12mths with the new canopy... it may be you saying "I told you so" :tounge:

Matt

Btw who needs permission? :whistle: :lol:
Last edited by MattA on November 9th, 2011, 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Jamie »

gday steven :)

mate, I sort of get what you and Matty are saying, I think I can see the happy medium for moth too, you dont want another banyan style as you have a few and matt thinks that its an ice cream cone (which I see too). I think what the biggest problem is that the movement is just a tad too subtle. the trunk is to heavy for any movement to be added now and where the branches are the trunk will smooth out to be an inverted cone with nearly no movement.

I dont know if you are prepared to but the way you are getting figs to grow from what I have seen you shouldnt have any problem in bringing the trees height down to a new leader (while you strike the of cut for a nice mini ;) ) and regrowing a lot more movement into it. I think this would dramatically change the look, add more interest and also give you the look I think you are after ;)

Jamie :D
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by chrisatrocky »

I like were this tree is going now, but I do agree with MattA you are not styling a pine tree, the branches would look better if they were more horizontal. jmo!

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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Steven »

Update time...
MattA's 'upside down ice-cream cone' comment had been ringing in my ears so I thought I would make it more difficult for him to come up with an analogy :lol:
2012 February a.jpg
2012 February b.jpg
It will probably take another 2 years to be show-able but I think it will be a better tree in the long run.

What do you think? Rate it or hate it?

Regards,
Steven
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Craig »

the pointy rock poking out of the trunk bothers me, but i rate it :tu:
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Re: [360°] Ficus rubiginosa :: root over rock

Post by Steven »

Well you come and pull it out then Craig :whistle:
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